Is CPU Intel X9650 still supported?

[foldingmoon]

Linux ditch 4.19.0-25-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.289-2 (2023-08-08) x86_64 GNU/Linux

With 4 x Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X9650 @ 3.00GHz

Last successful WU was 46d ago and I'm on wait retry #7872. I'm starting to get suspicious that either my OS or my CPU is no longer supported. I couldn't find a list of specific supported stuff, other than "recent OS" and maybe "modern CPU".

It seems that I should have gotten a WU within the past 46 days. Is my HW still supported??

[Joe_H]

The processor is on the edge of support, the highest instruction set it supports is SSE4.1 which the older CPU folding core still supports. How many threads do you have the client configured to use? Could you post the beginning section of your log and include a section with a WI request that fails.

[toTOW]

FAH GPU cores don't run anymore on Core 2 CPUs as it lacks some instruction set (SSE4.2) that is now mandatory.

I'm not sure about CPU cores requirements (but you need more than 3 threads/cores), but it's definitely not a good idea to use such old CPUs anyway.

[foldingmoon]

I don't know how to determine the number of threads configured.

Code: Select all

14:32:02:I1:WU89:*********************** Log Started 2025-04-09T14:32:01Z ***********************
14:32:02:I1:WU89:************************** Gromacs Folding@home Core ***************************
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Core: Gromacs
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Type: 0xa8
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Version: 0.0.12
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Author: Joseph Coffland <joseph@cauldrondevelopment.com>
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Copyright: 2020 foldingathome.org
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Homepage: https://foldingathome.org/
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Date: Jan 16 2021
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Time: 19:22:05
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Compiler: GNU 8.3.0
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Options: -faligned-new -std=c++14 -fsigned-char -ffunction-sections
14:32:02:I1:WU89: -fdata-sections -O3 -funroll-loops -fno-pie
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Platform: linux2 4.15.0-128-generic
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Bits: 64
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Mode: Release
14:32:02:I1:WU89: SIMD: sse2
14:32:02:I1:WU89: OpenMP: ON
14:32:02:I1:WU89: CUDA: OFF
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Args: -dir -lwTgyqA8TtXsxA6TxDplp9St47wWq1CjAhaM3dAWqU -suffix 01
14:32:02:I1:WU89: -version 8.4.9 -lifeline 16427 -np 2
14:32:02:I1:WU89:************************************ libFAH ************************************
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Date: Jan 16 2021
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Time: 19:21:38
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Compiler: GNU 8.3.0
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Options: -faligned-new -std=c++14 -fsigned-char -ffunction-sections
14:32:02:I1:WU89: -fdata-sections -O3 -funroll-loops -fno-pie
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Platform: linux2 4.15.0-128-generic
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Bits: 64
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Mode: Release
14:32:02:I1:WU89:************************************ CBang *************************************
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Date: Jan 16 2021
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Time: 19:21:24
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Compiler: GNU 8.3.0
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Options: -faligned-new -std=c++14 -fsigned-char -ffunction-sections
14:32:02:I1:WU89: -fdata-sections -O3 -funroll-loops -fno-pie -fPIC
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Platform: linux2 4.15.0-128-generic
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Bits: 64
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Mode: Release
14:32:02:I1:WU89:************************************ System ************************************
14:32:02:I1:WU89: CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X9650 @ 3.00GHz
14:32:02:I1:WU89: CPU ID: GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 23 Stepping 6
14:32:02:I1:WU89: CPUs: 4
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Memory: 7.73GiB
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Free Memory: 1.78GiB
14:32:02:I1:WU89: Threads: POSIX_THREADS
14:32:02:I1:WU89: OS Version: 4.19
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Has Battery: false
14:32:02:I1:WU89: On Battery: false
14:32:02:I1:WU89: UTC Offset: -5
14:32:02:I1:WU89: PID: 29005
14:32:02:I1:WU89: CWD: /var/lib/fah-client/work
14:32:02:I1:WU89:********************************************************************************
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Project: 12480 (Run 37, Clone 22, Gen 7)
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Unit: 0x00000000000000000000000000000000
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Reading tar file core.xml
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Reading tar file frame7.tpr
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Digital signatures verified
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Calling: mdrun -c frame7.gro -s frame7.tpr -x frame7.xtc -cpt 5 -nt 2 -ntmpi 1
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Steps: first=35000000 total=40000000
14:32:02:I1:WU89:Completed 1 out of 5000000 steps (0%)
14:36:05:I1:WU89:Completed 50000 out of 5000000 steps (1%)
14:40:07:I1:WU89:Completed 100000 out of 5000000 steps (2%)
  [ elided .... ]
20:55:14:I1:WU89:Completed 4850000 out of 5000000 steps (97%)
20:59:22:I1:WU89:Completed 4900000 out of 5000000 steps (98%)
21:03:24:I1:WU89:Completed 4950000 out of 5000000 steps (99%)
21:07:30:I1:WU89:Completed 5000000 out of 5000000 steps (100%)
21:07:30:I1:WU89:Saving result file ../logfile_01.txt
21:07:30:I1:WU89:Saving result file dhdl.xvg
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Saving result file frame7.gro
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Saving result file frame7.xtc
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Saving result file md.log
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Saving result file science.log
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Saving result file state.cpt
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Folding@home Core Shutdown: FINISHED_UNIT
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Core returned FINISHED_UNIT (100)
21:07:31:I1:Default:Added new work unit: cpus:2 gpus:
21:07:31:I1:WU89:Uploading WU results
21:07:31:I1:WU90:Requesting WU assignment for user foldingmoon team 32589
21:07:31:I1:OUT347:> POST https://assign2.foldingathome.org/api/assign HTTP/1.1
21:07:31:I1:OUT346:> POST https://vav21.fah.temple.edu/api/results HTTP/1.1
21:07:32:I1:OUT347:< HTTP/1.1 503 HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
21:07:32:E :OUT347:HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE: {"error":"No appropriate assignment"}
21:07:32:I1:WU90:Retry #1 in 2 secs
21:07:33:I1:OUT346:< HTTP/1.1 200 HTTP_OK
21:07:33:I1:WU89:Credited
21:07:34:I1:WU90:Requesting WU assignment for user foldingmoon team 32589
21:07:34:I1:OUT348:> POST https://assign3.foldingathome.org/api/assign HTTP/1.1
21:07:35:I1:OUT348:< HTTP/1.1 503 HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
21:07:35:E :OUT348:HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE: {"error":"No appropriate assignment"}

[muziqaz]

In web UI, Settings section set the slider to 3, or 4 if you are not folding on any of your GPUs. If you are folding on 1 GPU, set CPU slider to 3, if you have 2 GPUs and fold on them, set your CPU slider to 0 and be done with it

[Joe_H]

FAH GPU cores don't run anymore on Core 2 CPUs as it lacks some instruction set (SSE4.2) that is now mandatory.

I'm not sure about CPU cores requirements (but you need more than 3 threads/cores), but it's definitely not a good idea to use such old CPUs anyway.

What requires SSE4.2? Not Core_A8, as far as I recall it was complied in AVX and SSE4.1 versions. It may be required for something later, or a GPU folding core, but that should not be the problem here.

[Joe_H]

I don't know how to determine the number of threads configured.

From this line in your log:

Code: Select all

21:07:31:I1:Default:Added new work unit: cpus:2 gpus:

You have the client set to use 2 CPU threads. To work around a reported client problem most CPU projects were set to require 3 or more threads.

[foldingmoon]

I changed the # CPUs to 3 but it is still unable to assign. Do I need to somehow restart folding, e.g., with systemctl restart fah-client to get it to recognize the new CPU count? The status shows 3 CPUs.

18:07:20:I1:WU90:Retry #8075 in 8 mins 32 secs
18:15:52:I1:WU90:Requesting WU assignment for user foldingmoon team 32589
18:15:53:I1:OUT8499:> POST https://assign1.foldingathome.org/api/assign HTTP/1.1
18:15:53:I1:OUT8499:< HTTP/1.1 503 HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
18:15:53:E :OUT8499:HTTP_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE: {"error":"No appropriate assignment"}

[muziqaz]

Why 3?
Your logs are showing that you have no GPUs in your system to fold on. Put all 4. And be patient

[foldingmoon]

I tried 3 because that was the minimum recommended, above.
However, I proactively tried 4 earlier today and it still didn't pick up a WU. When you say "be patient," are you talking about waiting until the next retry (which, in my case, is 8 mins 32 secs), or is there some longer period of time that you meant that I should wait for it to take effect? Like, perhaps, 4 CPUs will work, but nothing is currently available, so wait a few days or weeks?

[muziqaz]

Pause folding and unpause, that should reset the retry counter.

It is entirely possible, that there might not be too many projects which can fold on 4 or less cores

[foxpy]

I think the client doesn't change the parameters it requests on the fly, while being in the request loop. That's why pausing, then changing the amount of CPUs and unpausing it again might actually fix the problem.

[arisu]

I think it may actually be necessary to restart the client, not just pause/unpause. At least that's what I had to do on my system to get certain changes to be seen when in an assign wait loop.

[foldingmoon]

CPUs set to 4
systemctl restart fah-client

And it downloaded a WU immediately.

Thanks for the help!

[muziqaz]

I think it may actually be necessary to restart the client, not just pause/unpause. At least that's what I had to do on my system to get certain changes to be seen when in an assign wait loop.

That has never been a requirement in theory. And in practice was never needed either.
Restarted client comes off the download retry counter, which will speed up the download attempt